Should and Want
by unionwho
Summary: This is about Damon's love and passion/protection towards Elena. It's a romance story with Drama and emotional conflict. Elena is coming to terms with the fact she may be inlove with Damon, shows a vulnerable side of Elena aswell as fierce love from Damon. Give it a go and please let me know what you think in reviews :) Very much appreciated!
1. Chapter 4

**HI! I****'****m actually really excited right now because my internet jut connected to my laptop for the first time in months! So I can finally start posting! I did an MTV Awkward FanFic, and I stopped really in the middle of the story at a inconvenient time and I get emails saying people are commenting and saying amazing things and telling me to continue writing for that story and I haven****'****t been able to due to the internet thing. I don****'****t live under a rock by the way, I have my brothers computers and I have my phone, just my laptop wouldn****'****t connect (which I use to type stories on only, so my family don****'****t read my fanfics). Anyways, I sort of lost interest in the MTV Awkward story after I stopped writing for a long time. But here is a new The Vampire Diaries one and I am happy with it, I mean not perfectly happy with it, but I think it****'****s going okay and I am glad I can finally share! So, to summarise, sorry to any people who got annoyed at me for my other story and I****'****ll see if I can write an ending for that one soon, in the mean time please give this a read with some reviews and favourites, anything you like it****'****s all really so, so, so appreciated I love reviews! - UNIONWHO.**

**- It takes place **in no particular time of the TV. Show. It doesn't follow any of the story lines of the show as in fights or vampire problems etc. Elena is a human and the rest should be explained any questions feel free to comment! I do not own anything to do with Vampire Diaries etc. Also this first chapter is king of the warm up, getting things started so please read atleast the second one before you get turned off - **Thankyou, enjoy ****J -**

It had been a week since she left her house. The only communication in her life was to Jeremy, only to reassure him she was alive. Stefan and her were over and it was the tip of the ice-berg. She was drowning in the endless ocean that was her life. Elena had been through a lot over the past year and a bit. She remembered the last time she was normal, she also remembers the night that all ended. Losing her parents turned her life in directions she didn't know existed. She thought things couldn't get any harder? Because, can a life of constant sadness and grief get any worst? She fell in love with a charming boy who dragged her into a new world in a lot of ways. She felt love and like there was a reason for another day, but another challenge was given to her when she found out that the boy she was instantly in love with was 145 years old and drank blood as though it was chocolate milk. Elena was unsure, could she really date someone like that? A vampire. But once she realised he wasn't just drinking chocolate milk because he was thirsty, the blood kept him alive and he needed it to survive. Like Stefan every vampire lived that way, including his older brother Damon. Stefan was a pure soul, he loved Elena and let her be herself and even though he would prevent her from getting wrapped into his dangerous vampire conflicts -or at least try to prevent- he would still respect her decisions and follow her. Damon was strong and powerful and fell in love with Elena and only wanted her to live her life, at the price of anyone else's life, as long as it meant Elena wasn't gone. But Damon was passionate, strong and honest with Elena always. It was an instant attraction sure, but their love wasn't instant it grew and changed as they did and it was always interesting and confusing for both of them. Because they shouldn't be right for each other but deep down they both knew that they were either really perfect for each other or the exact opposite.

She hadn't left her house in a long time. Finally realised it would be best to go and see Damon, who she expected wouldn't be happy that she was avoiding and ignoring him. Normally he would just force his way in and surprise Elena as she hid in her bedroom. However, he hadn't and she was curious why even though she was glad she had some space. Elena and Stefan had broken up and even though she was still struggling to admitte it to herself she knew deep down that it was because she was struggling to be in love with Stefan because her mind was too preoccupied loving Damon, and she couldn't explain or justify to herself why. He did terrible things, she knew that. But her attraction to him, not just psychically like it had been for a long time but it turned into an emotional thing too. She could see he felt so strongly and cared so much, despite how hard he tried to make out he was the exact opposite. He was honest and strong, every time he took steps closer to Elena she felt how passionate he was just by the way he held her and comforted her before she would tear herself away and be with Stefan. Because, after all, isn't Stefan the right guy? The good guy, the first one she dated, everything should be Stefan. But it wasn't. It was Damon and Elena was so nervous around him once she finally admitted it herself. Damon knew that Stefan and Elena had broken up, he hoped that meant he had a fair chance but didn't know why, at least not fully. Stefan fled town, saying he needed break. But he wasn't gone forever, Elena vanished away in her house after breaking up with him and it was her chance to see Damon just to re-assure him she was okay - knowing he would be worried- without running into Stefan at the Salvatore mansion. She cleaned up and opened the front door and the smell of thin fresh air burst into her lungs and she got into her car and made her way to Damon and Stefan's grand house.

She knocked at the big wooden door expecting to see Damon wing it open fully aware of the fact it was Elena because he could hear her heart racing from miles away. However, there was no response. Elena had a key to there house, it was her safe house from most vampires if all else went wrong in her neck of the woods. She swung the door open and slowly walked in calling out "Damon…" But to no response. She was nervous, Elena felt her breaths thicken. She always felt so safe around Damon, and she knew he loved her but she didn't know what would happen if she admitted her love for him back. Standing in the hallway flashbacks of the first time she met Damon bounce in her head. The black crow and turning to see Damon's ice blue eyes staring at her centimetres away from her nose. "Hi, I'm Damon Salvatore."She never expected anything of this, what normal person would? She fell in love with a vampire and now she was in love with his brother and everything felt so twisted. Her life of grief and sadness was multiplied, everyone around her died or got hurt. She hid away in her house for a week finally catching a break and finding the time to just be a normal hurt and confused teenager, why did she drag herself away from that comfort? Quickly before Damon got home Elena ran out to her car and sped off, feeling panic all in her body. She wasn't ready to leave the confides of her room yet. After returning back to her room a day passed before finally Bonnie and Caroline burst through her bedroom door with Jeremy behind them supporting their actions. "You're getting up Elena! You're coming with us." Caroline told Elena giving her no space to even ask where. Bonnie stormed over determinedly to the curtains and swung them open shining a bright light into Elena room revealing the take away containers and ripped up paged of drawings hiding in the darkness of her bedroom. "Where are we going? I don't want to, please." Elena pleaded."You've been up here for over a week, I've covered for you I've told everyone you needed space but it's getting out of hand, you need to face the world Elena." Jeremy had a point, wouldn't of been easy getting Elena the privacy she had had. "Tonight's Serena's bonfire party and we think it's the perfect time to come out with us." Caroline said with her 'matter of fact' tone that Elena realised she missed. "Even better, because cute guys and alcohol? Couldn't ask for better." Bonnie said pulling Elena up as Jeremy stood in the door way next to Caroline happy to see Elena slowly getting up. "Fine!" She cracked, "fine, I'll come…" Straight after agreeing Elena wondered if Damon would be there, but she didn't ask because her friends were defiantly pro Stefan and were defiantly not big fans of Damon in any way. "We'll be down stairs!" Everyone left the room and Elena went into the bathroom and stared at herself in the mirror, nervous and anxiousness screamed across her face. She knew her friends were trying to help and maybe it would, she wouldn't know until she tried so she practised her best fake smile as she bent over and pulled out a bottle of alcohol from under her sink, her friend that had been helping her sleep during her bed ridden week. Knocking back a mouthful Elena knew that she would need a few more to get her through the night.


	2. Chapter 2

Bonnie's dad pulled up to the outside of the forest and Elena stumbled out of the car followed by Bonnie and Caroline.

"It's just through the woods and I'll call you when we're ready to get picked up, okay? Thanks dad, see ya." Bonnie waved goodbye to her father and then turned to Elena quickly with a stunned look on her face.

"You're already drunk?! When did you start drinking?"

"About twenty seconds after you all went downstairs and it's catching up with me!" Elena giggled. Bonnies stunned face turned to Caroline and they both busted out laughing.

"Elena, you're a piece of work! Let's go!" Caroline linked arms with Elena.

"This better help you have fun tonight Missy." Bonnie linked her other arm and they all laughed with excitement as they walked past a few meters of tree and emerged at a party lit by tiki torches and the moon light as well as the giant bonfire raging in the middle near the canopy. Elena let out a small 'woot' of enjoyment as she let go of the girls and started dancing in front of them.

"I love this song!" She laughed and they both laughed jumping in with her, joining her dancing. They were both relieved to see she wasn't glum and actually having fun, even if it was the alcohol, she seemed like the old normal teenage Elena, with a few extra giggles.

They continued to drink throughout the night, Elena was still drunker than everyone else but had sobered up significantly as the night went on. Amidst her dancing and socialising Elena had caught the attention of a boy named Cody.

"His cute…" Bonnie gossiped.

"Elena, go talk to him!" Caroline encouraged.

"I don't know…" Elena looked over her shoulder flirtatiously.

She watched as Cody opened a bottle of drink and she thought maybe he could be her distraction, a boy that was cute, her age and not a blood sucking vampire. After all she hadn't seen any sight of Stefan or Damon or anyone trying to kill her or accusing her of being Katherine, so maybe it was the perfect time to get distracted by the cute blonde guy chugging a beer. Elena turned back to Bonnie and Caroline and without another word walked over to Cody drunkenly. Time passed and before she knew it Elena had her arms wrapped around Cody's neck as he swayed her waste. He leant in and she felt his breath tingle her lips and she leant in about to kiss him before teasingly pulling away. They both laughed and Cody put his head on her shoulder turning and gently kissing her neck while Elena teased him with soft, quick kissed before pulling away again. They were up against a tree and she put her head on his shoulder while he kissed her cheek and neck occasionally while they teased each other. Elena giggled and opened her eyes while wresting on Cody's shoulder and her eyes linked directly to Damon's who was watching from a distance with his arrogant smile and frowned eyebrows expression attempting to hid the jealousy and anger he left as he saw Elena with Cody. He chuckled as she noticed him and continued to make sure Elena could see him while the blonde girl next to him chatted away. Elena felt her heart sink.

"When did he get here…" Elena mumbled quietly to herself.

"When did who get here?" Cody said pulling Elena off his shoulder pushing there foreheads together blocking Elena's view of Damon. She hadn't realised she had spoken out loud.

"Oh, no one.." She suddenly felt uncomfortable, she attempted to distract herself, but her bubble had burst after seeing Damon and she just wanted to leave. She gently pushed Cody back.

"I can't do this, I'm sorry, I have to go." She tried to look past Cody's head to find Damon, but couldn't.

"Don't be a tease, at least not the annoying type." Cody said still flirting.

"No, really, I'm sorry. I just can't." She pushed him off but he had her pinned against the tree and wasn't letting her leave. Elena pushed him off her but Cody was forcing himself onto her.

"You're not going anywhere." His tone was more forceful and Elena tried to act casual knowing Damon could be anywhere but she wanted to get away from Cody. She shoved him back and told him to get off her but he pulled her back into position.

"Stop!" She shoved him hard and quickly stormed off as fast as she could. Cody followed behind her and grabbed her arm. Suddenly a arm extended past Elena and pushed Cody with great strength to the floor. Cody was mildly drunk and wasn't sure what happened until he looked up and saw Elena standing with Damon in front of her.

"Oh, so that's it, you have your boyfriend here now, where was he ten minutes ago when you were all over me." Cody shouted from the floor as he stumbled back up with his fists in the air ready to fight Damon. Elena felt embarrassed and angry that Damon had gotten involved because she felt that she was back in their world now, back in the love triangle and the uncertainty, and the fact she was still buzzed didn't help. Cody swung at Damon and Damon promptly caught his flying fist with great power. Elena watched stunned by how everything how changed so rapidly so fast and snapped out of her mesmerized state as she watched as Damon's eyes turned black and red and veins ran down his cheeks, exposing his fangs.

"Stop! Damon, stop. His drunk." She said firmly before turning and looking at Cody's frozen face staring at Damon holding his fist slowly crushing his hand.

"Stop Damon!" Elena called again. Damon pulled Cody closer and his eyes narrowed as he compelled him.

"None of this happened, now leave here and forget you ever met Elena." The second Elena saw Cody was safe she began to walk off into the woods surrounding the party to find her way to the road where she was dropped off. Damon turned around and saw Elena entering the woods and used his vampire speed to get ahead of her and stop her in her tracks.

"So, she is done hiding away?" He said his eyes narrowing in on Elena stopped in her tracks.

"Not now Damon." Elena wasn't in the mood to hear Damon's judgemental tone.

"Oh I get it, it's okay. I understand you're upset that my baby bro and you are having trouble in paradise."

"He told you?" Elena felt nervous again.

"He told me you broke up with him, ouch. That's pretty heartless of you Miss Gilbert." Damon was referring to a fight Elena had forgotten about after getting caught up in the hole Stefan drama. She remembered yelling at Damon saying he was heartless and cruel, but for the life of her couldn't remember what they were fighting about. She figured it was probably just built up frustration. They were both frustrated with there feelings and would burst at each other. Damon was angry at Elena, for disappearing and avoiding him and for messing around with Cody. It was all so out of character for her.

"Just leave me alone Damon, I don't want to fight with you. But for the future keep in mind, not everything is about Stefan and me or about you and… me…" She paused and hesitated before finishing her sentence as she realised she was about to admitte there might be a 'her and Damon' in her eyes.

"You and me?" Damon scoffed, he had loved Elena for so long and watched as she was with Stefan and now she was claiming there was a him and her even though she had only ever shot him down in the past for Stefan, Damon was enraged already and was ready to start a fight with Elena. They did fight, it was there thing, but there fights came from passion and emotion and always ended up exposing Damon's love for Elena even though he projects it as anger.

"Stop it." Elena said trying to prevent having the conversation about the two of them have being a thing because she was still confused.

"No, please, tell me Elena. You and me? Where does that fit in? Amongst you and Stefan's drama and grand romance? Or you and that blonde ken doll Cody? Make up your mind Elena!" He shouted while his electric blue eyes entranced Elena and broke her heart that littlest bit more.

"I-I, I just need to get home. I need to get out of here." Elena felt restricted again and just wanted to bolt into her car and drive home like she did that day she went to visit Damon.

"So you can stay hiding in your room again? What are you doing there? Not eating or talking to anyone, drinking yourself to sleep and waking up crying? Yes Elena. I know." Elena was paralysed, how did he know? What did he think of her? She didn't want to hear his judging words she tried to walk off but Damon blocked her.

"What?! You want me to admitte I did those things? That I actually feel like everything in my life is wrong? But I can't admitte that. Because I'm strong aren't I? I'm the girlfriend of a vampire complaining that her family is dead and she has to take care of her brother all alone." Elena paused mid-rant and looked up locking eyes with Damon. "Well, I'm not going to admitte it, because I know I'm being selfish and I know you'll make sure I know that. Just like I know I should be with Stefan…" Elena had tears in her eyes.

"Well there it is. You should be with Stefan." Damon's jaw was clenched, he was hurt and angry.

"I should be, but I'm not… because should and want are two different things. The things I should be doing aren't always the things I want to be doing." Elena felt guilty and could only think of how selfish she must sound, not thinking about Stefan's feelings but acting on hers instead was selfish in her mind, avoiding Damon and just feeling self pity completely for once, was again selfish. Wanting to be with Damon… now she wasn't sure if that was selfish or not, but right now while she yelled and cried at him wasn't exactly the time to ask. Damon took a step closer to Elena and hovered over her staring into her brown eyes, his ice blue eyes widened.

"What do you want then Elena?" Damon said bluntly. Elena paused before answering, unintentionally holding her breath and her eyes shifted from Damon's left eye to right before finally letting out an exhausted answer.

"I just want to go home Damon, please, just let me leave." She held the tears that had dwelled up in her eyes in, keeping her stance strong to try and beat Damon and persuade him to let her leave. He took a step to the side without another word and looked away as Elena walked away. He turned back and watched her finished walking through the forest strip and watched as Elena's head and shoulders dropped down while she let the tears flow now that he couldn't see her face. Damon listened as her Elena's breaths got shallow as she cried and he slowly walked back to the party.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Please**_** leave any reviews, good or bad! I love reading them and knowing what you guys think of my stories, anything you like or don't like? Preferably good ones though please! I'll keep posting the rest of the chapters if I get some proof that it's worth continuing this one! Even if it's just a 'nice' or 'more' : D Thankyou! Enjoy ; )**

Bonnie's dad came and collected the girls and Elena hid her tears from everyone when they found her waiting by the side of the road. When she reached her bed Elena brokenly crawled onto it holding onto a pillow wishing she hadn't left her room to begin with. But she had already gotten her one introduction back into the world, hiding wasn't an option anymore, she had to get back into her life, no matter how much she didn't want to. This was one time that she had to go with 'should' instead of 'want.'

Elena saw Damon around town but the promptly avoided each other for two days before Elena realised she had a lot of her stuff scattered around the Salvatore Mansion. Since Stefan wasn't back in town yet she decided she should go up and get some of it before he got home. It would be bad enough running into Damon let alone both of the brothers. She drove up to the isolated house that she once thought of as a second home but now felt so uncomfortable around. She firmly knocked on the door and thought to herself 'no running away this time'. Unlike the last time, someone answered the door swiftly and it was Damon. Elena's heart skipped a beat and there was no doubt, Damon had heard it.

"I just came to get some of my stuff." Elena said in a robotic 'matter of fact' tone.

"By all means." Damon said sarcastically while motioning for Elena to enter.

Elena made her way upstairs with Damon silently following behind her.

"So, how'd you pull up the other night? I hear greasy breakfasts help?" He paused, but Elena didn't answer his smart ass question, using it as a way to bring up the other night but sound like he had no emotions towards it. With no answer Damon snappily filled the silent walk to Stefan's bedroom.

"That's why I always get myself a truck driver after a long night, greasy community them lot." Damon said snarkily fishing for a reaction from Elena, but again failing. She continued silently into Stefan's bedroom as though Damon wasn't even there. Until finally while she sifted through her scattered belongings.

"Why are you here Damon? I can get my things without you watching over me." She turned to face him, using her annoyed tone.

"You're my brothers ex-girlfriend? Come on Elena, you should know that I can't let you in his bedroom alone." Damon joked. Even though the tension between them had gone Elena still wasn't going to act happy with Damon. She lightly rolled her eyes.

"What if I promise not to steal anything?" She felt herself falling into Damon's charm as she remarked back at him quietly enjoying looking at his blue eyes from a distance, admiring his tense jaw and strong stance as he leaned on Stefan's set of draws across the room from her. Distracted staring at him while she spoke her short sentence that felt like it was going forever she turned around quickly forcing herself to be discrete. In her turn Elena bumped something and felt it fall off the table. She swung back around hoping to catch it, panicking at how foolish she looked in front of Damon and how bad she felt possibly breaking Stefan's stuff. She knew how old and precious a lot of his possessions in his bedroom were. Damon heard the glass figurine falling and used his vampire speed to get to it before Elena could fully turn around. He stood centimetres away from Elena and as she landed facing him, he held the figurine in his hand and gently placed it on the table next to them not moving away from Elena.

"Do you promise not to break anything as well?" He whispered strongly as his eyes fluttered down to Elena's lips and back to her eyes. He looked as Elena's chest sunk in, exposing her strong collarbones and every crevice in her neck. Elena was speechless as well as breathless. Damon's hand dragged off the table after putting down the glass object he just caught, as his hand dragged he reached Elena's hand that was resting on the table to support herself in her mesmerized state. He realized and ran his hand over her spread out fingers. Elena's chest sunk even more, she was nervous and so tempted to just lean in and kiss him, but knew she shouldn't considering the situation between her and Stefan and she didn't want to start something with Damon while she was going through a lot personally. But, it still felt so passionate and safe being with Damon like she was just there. She looked over completely and watched Damon's hand trace her fingers before dragging off the table. While Elena turned her head to look at their hands Damon's head titled and admired Elena fully. He really did love her, he would do absolutely anything for her. No matter how much they fought, it was because he loved her that he cared so much and felt so passionate towards her. Elena looked back up and locked eyes with Damon and she was frozen as he slowly moved forward. A slight frown formed on his face, he went slow making sure it was what Elena wanted. She took timid breaths anticipating Damon's kiss, she signalled she was okay with it, but nervous and didn't lean in, Damon did all the work. As there lips were about to touch his ice blue eyes looked up and linked in Elena's one last time. There body's almost touched, there was a paper thin line between them from the top of their heads all the way down to their feet.

"Elena?" A voice interrupted just mili-seconds before there lips locked. They both jumped back, especially Elena and saw Stefan standing in the doorway.

"Stefan." She said quietly panting.

"Brother, nice to see you." Damon said fiercely, Elena felt uncomfortable, she looked over at Damon who flashed a disappointed look at her before walking over to Stefan.

"Let me guess, some beach side property hidden away, or maybe an apartment in New York?" Damon said snarkily. Stefan just looked at him and looked away staring at Elena while responding to Damon.

"A small town with an old friend actually." Stefan replied bluntly and Damon knew it was his cue to leave. While walking through the doorway he looked at Elena one more time who was staring at the floor.

"What are you doing here?" Stefan said firmly, but kindly to Elena.

"I was just getting some of my stuff and Damon was, uh- helping me."

"Well, I have some of your stuff over here?" Stefan offered awkwardly.

"Yeah, thanks." The atmosphere was tense.

"Um, Stefan." Elena blurted out after getting her collection of things back from Stefan's room.

"I really am so sorry."

"I still love you Elena, but so does he, it's going to be hard, if not impossible to get over you but if I'm going to try then maybe Damon can not 'help' you in my room." Stefan joked even though he felt hurt he didn't want to make Elena feel guilty, besides he wasn't shocked to see Damon and Elena nearly kissing, he knew it would happen. He just didn't want to see it with his own eyes, especially not in his own bedroom.

"Nothing happened.." Elena lied, her and Damon may not of kissed, but something happened, in those few long seconds with Damon she felt love for him and that was defiantly something.

"It's okay Elena." Stefan gave Elena a sad smile and she returned it before leaving. On her way out of the house she didn't see Damon even though she did casually look around for him. He hid in his bedroom listening to Elena and Stefan's conversation downing glasses of whisky. He let out a loud sigh as he heard Elena completely leave, he wished Stefan hadn't interrupted, it was his first real chance with Elena since he met her. She had been dating Stefan the hole time he has officially known her, and it was his chance to be with the girl he loved without doing the wrong thing behind Stefan's back. Damon wasn't sure what it all meant, Elena was good at being in denial about her own feelings and Damon was angry to think that she could decide it all meant nothing, like she told Stefan and he'll have lost his chance.


	4. Chapter FOUR

The hole way home Elena kept imagining the look of Damon's pale blue eyes piercing into hers and the way her heart thumped in her chest and everything outside of the two of them went quiet and didn't exist. The anticipation of his kiss that never arrived played on Elena conscious. She wished Stefan hadn't walked in, not only so that her and Damon could have had there moment but because that means he saw her moving on, with his brother of all people. As awful as it was that Stefan had witnessed there almost kiss it was also kind of good for Elena that the kiss was prevented, she needed to get some perspective, unlike her bedroom escape where she just avoided everything. But getting the image of Damon out of her head and the butterflies out of her stomach wouldn't be easy. Once Elena got home she crawled into her bed and pulled out her phone, she stared at it for a second nervous about who she was going to call. Damon's message robot answered, telling Elena he was unable to get to the phone at the moment leave a message after the tone. She didn't know what she was going to say, she hoped once she heard his voice answer the phone it would all come to her and she'd know what to say.

A knock at her door woke her. It had been a few days since she her encounter with Damon and since her first time seeing Stefan since his return. She spent the days either running errands or having Caroline and Bonnie over, really anything to keep herself busy. She crawled out of bed to the insessive banging and threw on a grey sweat jacket over her singlet and shorts pajamas. The knocking continued as he hopped down the stairs. She was concerned and swung the door opened urgently, maybe it was something about Jeremy who was still away? "Yes!" She said while swinging the door open to reveal Damon and Stefan standing in her doorway. "Stefan said we should knock." Damon groaned letting himself in. Stefan smiled awkwardly knowing it was kind of tense going to Elena house, with Damon. "You can come in Stef" Elena smiled timidly at Stefan, hoping things were okay with them like Stefan was acting. He walked in and they both walked over to the living room where Damon stood. "There's a problem." Damon stood strongly and tilted his head at Elena. "I figured as much…" She sighed and walked closer in to the circle her living room couches made and Damon stood between them and Stefan to the side behind her. "Somones raided the blood bank at the hospital." Stefan said approaching Damon. "Who?" Elena folded her arms."That's what we need to figure out, and until' then Elena you need to make sure you don't let _anyone _you don't know in this house." Damon said firmly"I'm not an idiot Damon, I know, but what else are we going to do?" "I'm going down to the hospital with Sherrif Forbes today to check any security cameras to see if it caught anything, but if it was a vampire…""Which it was." Damon interrupted. "… _if _it was then we'll have to set up a trap and see how this guy reacts." "Just let witchy and blondie know too so they can keep an eye out, this guy wasn't deescreat about the blood bags, who knows what it's going to be like if he stays in town." Damon added. Elena walked into the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee. A phone rang and it was Stefans, he pulled it out of his pocket and answered Sheriff Forbes. "I have to go meet Caroline's mum, I'll let you guys know if we find anything." Stefan made his way to the door and Elena sipped on her coffee quickly as he walked over. Stefan shut the door behind him and Damon checked his watch."Want some coffee?" asked Elena"Nah, it's okay, I should probably go and see if there's any other hospitals that have been raided." He began to head for the door and Elena put down her coffee and rushed up to him."wait, Damon, with the trap… if theres anything I can help with, I will." Elena offered, but more told. She was willing to do anything to help if it could prevent other people from suffering. "There are plenty of humans to offer as a feast, humans that aren't you." Damon was being protective again. "Damon, no one else is getting dragged into this, there's no colateral damage." Damon walked closer to Elena who backed up a little bit. "You're not risking your life, if it does come to it, we will find someone." He demanded, closer to her again. "We'll see." She took a step forward meeting his eyes, playing chicken with one another, who would crack first. They stood face to face, looking at each other passionately angry and enticed. Elena felt sexual tension building up between them again, she let out a sigh and turned away taking a step back and to the side. "You can't do that again," She said with a disappointed tone but friendly tone, changing the topic completely from what they were just talking about. "Do what?" He smirked raising his eyebrow and walked over to the table across from Elena fidgetting with the ornaments. "You know what, trying to kiss me…" She said shyly trying not to sound obnoxious. Damon laughed and looked at Elena teasing her with his eyes, knowing she wanted him to. "I'll see you later Elena." He walked over to the door ignoring Elena's pleading face as he he said goodbye. She was pleading for a reaction, a conversation to sort them out. She was pleading that no one get hurt if she could prevent it. Really she pleaded to herself to stop looking at Damon in the way she did and to stop feeling like she did every time his popped into her head.


	5. Chapter 5

**HI! This is defiantly a chapter I liked, short but I thought it was cool. Anyways! Doesn't matter what I think, I'm interested in your opinions. Once again, please leave reviews, and I'm postting chapters as fast as I can for you guys, because I don't care about 'once a week' etc, I just do when I can and I hope I can find a place for this story to go. Let me know what you think, like I said before, I just want to make sure it's worth continuing! Thankyou all so much! : ) REVIEW!**

Stefan reported back to Elena over the phone, telling her that he hadn't found anything on the cameras of the hospital. It was defiantly a vampire, there was no sign of anyone on the security cameras. They conveniently shut down. When Stefan and the Sherrif asked the staff what happened, everyone one duty around that area hadn't seen anyone, or were atleast compelled not to remember. It was nice to Elena being able to work with Stefan like she was, he still felt shy around her and sometimes awkward, but the odd call was fine. Sure they weren't texting each other or calling before she went to bed, or popping around to each other houses for a visit anymore, but when it came to the problem of the stolen blood, they found a way to work with each other. Elena was apart of the vampire world now, even though she was human, so she was apart of anything that happened with Vampires in Mystic Falls. Especially with her situation with looking exactly like a well known monster, Katherine Pierce.

Elena went for a run one afternoon as the sun was fading into dark. She got into the habit of working out when she could and going for runs after a few close calls with bad vampires during her time with Stefan. She couldn't compete with a vampires strength but the least she could do was try her best to gain some muscle and some speed. She was running home in her leggings and bright blue singlet, like usual, people were all tucked away in there houses and few cars would drive past the back streets where she ran. Pulling up to her house, she stopped at a tree pantting and got a cold shiver. Everything was quiet and the sun had faded into the horizon. The street was lit with street lights in place of the sun, and the moon shun bright. She looked around and saw curtains closed and the back off a car off in the distance. Suddenly she felt fear, something about the ordinary behaviours of her street felt terrifying. She turned around checking the long street behind her, no cars were coming up. She was being paranoid. She turned back to begin taking off on her run again and met a strange face she hadn't seen before. Elena's heart fell into her chest with a hard thump. The man standing infront of her wore a smile under his slight beard and brown hair.

"Don't move." His eyes narrowed into Elena's. He was trying to compell her, unaware she was wearring vervain. She listened and stood still acting as though she was compelled.

"What's your name?"

"Elena Gilbert."

"Do you believe in monsters?" His voice was sinister.

"No." She said firmly, with a strong voice.

"I bet I can change that." The vampire used his speed to get behind Elena and he sunk his teeth into her neck and began feeding. The pain stung her hole neck, and her warm blood ran down her long neck. She felt paralysed with pain before she realised she had to do something. Elena reached over to the tree next to her quickly and snapped off a small wooden branch and squirmed as he drank her blood slowly emptying her. The vampire was caught up in the feed and Elena shoved him off using the element of surprise that she wasn't compelled and jabbed him with the wooden stick. His red and black eyes faded back to normal brown and the blood on his face matched the blood running down from Elena neck onto her chest and dripping off her shoulder. She felt weak but used all her power to run. The vampire groaned loudly and fell to his knees then shouted and he ripped the wood out of himself. He watched Elena slowly disorentently get down the infront of him and used his vampire sped to get away, confused by why she hadn't listened to him and in pain from the wood splinters burning inside of him. Elena fell to her knees as her blood continues to pour of her, she felt so weak and dizzy. Her house was just ahead of her, 'only a little further' she thought and lifted herself up on her neighbours fence slowly dragging herself holding onto her punctured neck before falling down again at her gate, using every bone in her body to try and get in the front door where she was safe. Her face and body was turning pale at the blood loss. She wasn't sobbing or crying but tears ran down her face, the pain was unbearable. Three wooden steps led up to her front door and Elena crawled up two and pulled herself up on the railing. A car stopped behind her, she was too faded to acknowledge it though, and too disorientated to know if it was real.

"ELENA!" A voice screamed and then her knees gave in again, everything was a blur and she fell down into the arms of Damon.

"Damon?" She mumbled extremely softly while squinting to see who was holding her trying to make out his face in the blurr she saw. He bit his wrist and sat on the step in a hurry shoving his wrist onto her dry mouth. "Elena, drink, quickly." She was dying and Damon could see if he hadn't of gotten there when he did it would have been minutes and she would have been dead. He was in pure panic and determination, determine to keep her alive.

"Drink." He said as she was sprawled out on his lap, one arm dripping blood onto Elena's lips the other supporting her head stroking her hair with his thumb. He felt a pull in his viens as Elena began sucking on his blood, the pull got stronger and Elena drank more. There was blood all over Elena and Damon but her wound was healing and the colour slowly came back in her face. She finally groaned and pushed him arm off her gently.

"Elena." Damon said appreciative to see her eyes opening stronger and her breathes were deepening. He stroked her hair and held her arm while she still lay on his lap waitting for the vampire blood to take effect fully. He lifted her up and carried her into her house where she was safe and put her on the couch stroking her hair gently as he watched her slowly wake up fully. She sat up on the couch, still coming back into it fully.

"Damon, it's a man, he has an unshaven face, brown eyes, dark hair." She tried to describe the man as much as she could.

"It's okay, we're going to find him." Damon with such power and strength in his voice Elena felt scared for the vampire that attacked her, she knew Damon wouldn't be forgiving.


	6. Chapter 6

Not long later Stefan arrived at Elenas house and by this stage she was completely cured physically but still felt shaken mentally. "Hey, how are you? Are you okay?" Stefan rushed over to Elena who was sitting up fully on the couch. "She's fine." Called Damon before Elena could answer as he emerged from behind the kitchen counter. Stefan looked down at Elena after acknowledging Damon, to clarify that she was really okay."I'm okay," she said slightly smiling at Stefan. It was clear he still loved her, which was hard for her to be aware of but, she didn't love him like that anymore. But she did still care a hole deal for him. Damon took a seat on a sofa near Elena.

"Did he know who you were? Did he mention Katherine?" Stefan asked in a rushed tone, as though he were palying twenty questions. "No, he thought I was wearring vervain, he had no idea who I was.""Then you were probably just someone he thought was an easy target, you were his dinner." "Do you think it was him that stole the blood?" her eyes shiftted from Damon to Stefan hoping one of them would have an answer. Damon took the reigns and answered."Well his the only new veriable to this vampire equation, so I'm going to say yes." He got off the sofa and walked up and down slowly infront of the tv and fireplace. "But we don't know for sure." Stefan challenged. "How about when I find him and run a stake through his heart I'll ask him which one tastes better, stolen blood bags or _Elena_?" Damon shouted sarcastically putting emphasise on 'stake' and 'Elena', he was caught up in the fact Elena was hurt, he wasn't in the mood to have a debate about weather it was that vampire that stole the blood bags or not and he was making it clear to Stefan that he only cared about Elena. "I know Damon, she was hurt and he will get what he gets, but how about you calm down and we figure out how we're going to find him and how can we know if it's just him we're dealing with, Elena is okay." Stefan said stepping up to Damon angrily rebutting him, indirectly implying Elena is fine and that the attack on her is not as important as finding out what they needed to know. Stefan didn't mean to make Elena sound unimportant or to take attention away from the fact she almost died, but he was more the sort to worry about the full picture where everything is in scale, where as Damon's only concern and only passion was Elena. That's what made them so different, the way they loved her and Elena understood that, Stefan did love her, just differently to Damon. Damon took a step closer provoking Stefan."_She_ almost died. _She_ is my only concern, brother." Damon clenched his teeth. Elena jumped off the couch and stood between them, she saw the anger in Damons face and the determination in Stefans to not back down. She wedged herself between then and faced Damon, putting her hand on his chest she looked up at him as he was slightly taller than her."Damon, his right, I'm okay, you saved me." Damon calmed down internally hearring thoes words 'you saved me'. "We have to figure this hole thing out, you can't just worry about getting revenge, please." She gently pleaded and Damon folded and stepped away from Stefan. "So, now what?" He asked facing away from both of them. "Elena I think you should stay at our place." Stefan said moving away from where him and Damon just stood. "He can't get into my house," She questioned."But if he saw where you live then he could be waitting for you to take a step out that door." Stefan persuaded. Elena felt weird, even though her and Stefan got along, she felt bad having to stay in what was his home, his territory. "Damon can take you back to our house, and from here I'll go tell Sherrif Forbes… and then I'll find a place to stay the night." His eyes shuffled, feeling bad for avoiding Elena at his house, but he knew it would be best considering."Are you sure, you don't-" Elena began."I'm sure." Stefan interrupted kindly, letting her know he was genuinely okay with it.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey! I wrote this chapter already and then I figured I would give it another go and extend the story line with a few more relationship dramas, because the original chapter I wrote for here got me lost as to where I was going to go after that. So I'll try and mix it up a little, add some drama (even more) It will probably end up back to where this chapter originally went, just a longer road to get to that point. Make any sense? Ha-ha! Thankyou all for your support and reading my stories really means a lot to me, I hope you like it, and no I'm not the best writer but I do my best to try and be clear and stuff! So yes, sorry, please enjoy : ) ****REVIEW!**

Damon and Elena pulled up at the mansion.

"Home sweet home…" He said sarcastically. He was a master at dull humour and sharp one liners. They both collected their things and walked into the house Elena knew like the back of her hand.

"Stefan's room or mine?" Damon asked without considering how 'or mine' can sound like a come on to Elena. Once he realised he quickly added "I can sleep somewhere else."

"What about Zach's old room?" Elena figured a third option was needed.

"He was a pack rat like Stefan, but sure feel free." He motioned up the stairs. Elena opened the door to Zach's room, feeling kind of morbid sleeping in it knowing he was dead and she got a chill when she remembered Damon was the one that killed him. But that was back then, before he knew her, before he changed. Sure he still had a lot of his bad qualities, but she understood why now. Since he had fallen in love with Elena, he tried so hard to fight the change, but he couldn't't fight it completely. Elena did change him, for the better in some aspects but he was still the worst in others.

"Here's some fresh sheets, I figured-"

"Yeah," Elena answered predicting the end of Damon's sentence.

"Thankyou, again for today." She said taking the sheets from him.

"It's fine." He smiled softly. Elena put the sheets down on her bed and then turned back and walked over to Damon.

"No, really. I could feel everything inside me just fading away kind of. I felt my panic drift into complete calm, I thought I was going to die and then you appeared and just, just thankyou Damon." She felt so appreciative. Damon was happy that he was in the right place at the right time. If he lost Elena, he couldn't even imagine continuing his eternal life knowing hers had ended. He was tempted to remind her how precious she was to him, he opened his mouth almost letting his true feelings leak out, but instead brushed it off. It was just him and Elena at his house that night, and he was tempted to try and take advantage of that privilege, and he could sense a particular mood from Elena as she desperately thanked him, but he couldn't do that to her. She had had a long day and it wasn't long before then that she was locking herself away in her room surviving on liquor and sleep. Elena wasn't in a good point of her life, it sounded stupid to Damon thinking that, after all she was almost killed by a vampire just hours ago. He knew Elena well enough to know that just because she wasn't hiding away anymore didn't mean she wasn't suffering. He wasn't going to take advantage.

"I'm glad I could help." He gave a tight smile, feeling midly bad for giving such a dull answer when Elena was really trying to open up. Elena smiled expecting one of them to find something more to say.

"Well, you should get some sleep… Goodnight Elena." Elena felt oddly startled at how, well plain and normal, basically dull Damon was acting.

"Yeah, uh- goodnight." She didn't know what she was expecting to happen but that hole conversation felt weird to Elena. She watched as Damon turned around and closed the door behind him. Elena walked over to the large bed and flung the sheets over the empty mattress . After the bed was made Elena walked around the room, running her fingers along the books that had collected thick layers of dust. Elena put on her pajamas, her normal shorts and a singlet, she crawled into the bed and laid there unable to get to sleep for what felt like hours but in reality was maybe an hour. She got up restlessly and found one of the books in the many stacks to read, with the table light on she read a few pages before giving up and slamming the book down beside her. Elena had been having trouble getting to sleep for a while now, but kept it to herself. She creped up and slowly walked downstairs to where she saw Damon standing at the end of the staircase.

"I heard you get up…" He explained. "Homesick already?"

"I just, can't get to sleep." Elena walked past Damon over to the tray of alcohol and antique glasses.

"Elena, I don't think you should." Damon called out as she flipped a cup upside down. Elena was startled at his sudden concern, not like he was ever the type to refuse a drink.

"Why not?" She chuckled confused of weather Damon was joking or not.

"Because, you can't just drink away whatever if keeping you awake."

"What's that supposed to mean? I'm not drinking anything away I just can't sleep." Elena got defensive wondering if she was that see-through to Damon that he could tell it wasn't just a one off drink to help her sleep. It seemed like he knew she had been using alcohol to knock her out since her insomnia started.

"Elena. I know you better than that, since when do you 'just have a drink' at one in the morning?"

"Like you can talk Damon? Whatever, never mind then." She laughed angrily and went to walk back upstairs before stopping and turning back to face Damon.

"You can't help all my problems Damon" Her tone wasn't angry, but rather sad because she knew he would try and do anything if it meant helping Elena, but she thought she was beyond repair and felt bad knowing he'd never give up. He wasn't trying to fix her or change her, he loved her no matter what, but he was looking out for her best interests in his eyes.

That next morning Elena woke up and walked down stairs to see Damon and Stefan talking in the grand living room.

"Hey!" Stefan greeted Elena and Damon just looked at her as her smile to Stefan faded to subtle uncertainty when looking at him before going back to Stefan.

"So any news on the vampire?" Elena asked.

"We hoped he was just passing through town, but last night there was an attack here in Mystic Falls and we think it's him." Stefan answered as Damon faded into the background.

"Well then, now what?

"I tried to track him, but I didn't find him, it's daylight now, so we have all day to try and trace him, but if not then tonight we have to set a trap."

"What sort of trap?"

"Let's not get carried away, I'll try and track him today and assuming that doesn't work then we will make a plan. Okay?" Damon barged back into the conversation.

"Fine." Elena answered quietly and indirectly. Damon snatched the keys off the table next to him and walked past Elena avoiding her gaze and left. It was Stefan and Elena in the house, she was glad they were getting along so well after everything, especially because she did care for him still. Even though they were getting along well it was still a relief that he hadn't stayed in the same house last night, she thought it would give her and Damon a chance to talk, but that didn't happen.

"How was your sleep?"

"Yeah, it was good. How about yours?" She walked over to where Stefan was and leant on the couch arm.

"I was up late trying to track him, but I could only go off what I got from you, I haven't met him."

"Well then we will need a trap, I doubt Damon will be able too."

"I know, but Elena someone might have to be compelled to help, they might get hurt, but we have to do what we have to do."

"Stefan.." Elena said firmly.

"Elena, I'll try and think of a way to avoid it, but people are getting hurt and his putting us at risk.""Stefan. Listen to me, if there's anyway I can help over someone else, no matter what Damon says, I'll do it!" She pleaded taking steps closer to get a good connection with Stefan trying to persuade him.

"I agree with him Elena," Stefan said.

"Well I'm not going to just willingly let innocent people get hurt." They were face to face and Elena knew how to persuade Stefan, if she strongly believed in something he would respect that, even if he didn't want too.

"I'll let you know when I figure out a trap, but Elena, please don't give Damon a reason to hate me forever, or give me a reason to hate myself forever. Don't be stupid around this guy, his dangerous."

"Thankyou Stefan." She took another step forward and hugged him. She held her arms around him and felt Stefan's arms wrap back around her. It was something they both missed, even Elena, her and Stefan had amazing times together and she missed the comforting feelings of always having him there. The way he smelt and the way he felt wrapped around her took her back to a time when she was uncontrollably in love with him. They pulled back facing each other with their hands still on one another. They hesitated, more Elena than Stefan. Stefan slowly leant forward and Elena met him with her lips. Their lips overlapped and as quick as it happened the kiss ended. Elena tore away in shock unsure of what she had just done. They both looked at each other, Stefan's face was confused but happy and Elena's was just confused and unsure. She stumbled backwards as she came to terms with what just happened.

"Elena, wait, I-" Stefan tried to summon words but didn't know what to say.

"I should go, I'm sorry, that shouldn't of happened." She picked up her bag near the staircase with all of her things in it. "You can uh- just, just call me or message me when you have a plan. I-uh, see you." She closed the door of the house behind her and stood facing their front garden taking deep breaths trying to calm herself down. Why did she let that happen?


	8. Chapter 8

**I've continued postting for the few people that have reviews, but once again like I say every chapter, a follower, or a favorite or a review really keeps me motivated to continue! No, I'm not trying to guilt you guys into it, sorry if I'm being annoying I just want to know if you guys are enjoying it and if I should continue! Thankyou as usual, enjoy!**

Damon and Stefan met up in the afternoon, it was still bright out. They walked in the town centre and Damon explained about how he hadn't been able to track him.

"We'll set a trap." Damon said hesitantly, knowing Elena would be all over him about participating in it if she knew.

"I'll call Elena, we'll sort one out." Stefan reached for his phone.

"No, don't, we can't tell her. She wants to put herself in the middle of it and that's not happening."

"Damon, I told her I would let her help, she's probably waiting for a call from one of us."

"I don't care Stefan, this guy is a hunter, he finished all of his victims, he finishes all of his missions, like the blood bags, he took every single one in the freezer."

"I know, I don't want her to get hurt. But think about it, his a hunter? He wants to finish every single one of his hunts. Stalk, feed, kill."

"Yeah?"

"Well he didn't kill Elena, she surprised him and got away. But I bet he wants to finish his hunt." Stefan explained. Damon hesitated, Stefan made a point, but Elena would be at too much risk.

"I'm not putting her in that position." Damon said staring down Stefan.

"She's going to force us too Damon, she isn't going to let us do it any other way. If you just go with it, help me make a plan to lure him to Elena, we can do it the right way and keep her safe at the same time. But if you go against this, she'll get herself in danger and we'll lose control of the situation." Stefan had Damon speechless as he took in Stefan's words. He made a point, the vampire had had a taste for Elena's blood, he couldn't probably smell her from a mile away. As hesitant as Damon was, and reluctant to let Elena get anywhere near that vampire again, he knew Stefan was right.

"Fine. Fine! We'll do it with Elena, since you and her are the new best friends you can call her." Damon suggested.

"Maybe you should call her." Stefans eyes shuffled.

"Why? When I left this morning you guys were fine, what happened?"

"Nothing.." Stefan tried to lie.

"Oh, I believe that. On second thought, I think I'll just make a trap of my own for tonight you and Elena have fun working together." Damon said subtly threatening Stefan to get the truth out of him.

"Wait. After you left this morning, me and Elena, kind of- well, kissed." Jealousy shot through Damon, he tried his best to hide the anger he felt inside. He had taken the highroad and not let himself and Elena get into a situation that night and in turn made him and Elena get into another stage of not talking and then she kisses Stefan the second he leaves the house.

"Well congratulations on the reconciliation brother, sorry if I can't make it to the official 'changing of the online relationship status' party. I think I have plans." Damon said being a smart ass.

"It's not like that." Stefan vaguely explained.

"Tonight Elena can potray a roll a like to call 'the injured traveller' just outside of the main town, further down the road from where last nights victim was found. She'll need a cut on her leg from running away from one of us, then he will think she doesn't have vampires on her side she just happens to use vervain, we were tricked by her vervain just like he was and her blood will attract him and the after we snap his neck and stake him she can have some of _your blood to heal up. Done." Damon changed the subject. It was a simple plan, but Stefan knew it would work, it was in a good position for them and if the other vampire thought one of them had been tricked by the same girl he would most likely befriend them, giving them a chance to snap his neck and the plan was subtle enough for him to take the bait and secluded enough that no one would see them or interrupt the plan. Stefan went along with Damon avoiding the subject, seeing he was clearly hurt knowing Elena and Stefan had kissed. _

"_Who's going to chase and who's going to stake?" _

"_I think if I chase, it's a bit more believable. No offence." Damon was trying to subtly put Stefan down. _

"_None taken. So now can I call Elena?"_

"_Ofcourse, don't let me interrupt." _

_They all arranged to meet at the Salvatores house, since it was daylight out Elena was safe to travel but by the time she got to the Salvatores house it would be getting dark and day would be over. Since she was attacked near her house they figured best to avoid that area, even if he couldn't actually get inside her home. It was a tense atmosphere between them all, but they had gotten through bigger fights and awkward situations in the past. There was no reason to involve Caroline or Bonnie, they knew of the situation with the vampire but they weren't needed to execute the plan. So it was down to Elena, Damon and Stefan. Stefan felt awkward because him and Elena kissed, he still loved her she didn't love him like that anymore. She felt awkward because she knew she made a mistake by kissing him getting caught up in the moment and wasn't sure if he knew that or not. Damon felt awkward and angry knowing the two of them had kissed because he loved Elena and didn't know weather it meant he was misreading her the hole time and she actually did only care about Stefan. Elena felt weird being around Damon because he knew her so well and she felt uneasy having him figure out about her emotional dramas. Everything between the trio needed to be sorted out and set straight, but it was never that easy. The main concern was to get through the night like planned. _

"_It's dark out…" Elena was nervous. _

"_We're going to wait a little while, let him get comfortable." Stefan said out in the open, not directly responding to Elena. It was funny, they were talking about getting comfortable but yet each of them had a reason as to why they weren't. _

"_I'm going to make a drink. Anyone else want one? Elena perhaps?" Damon teased cruelly, he was mad at her about Stefan. _

"_I'm going upstairs to see if I forgot anything this morning." She glared at Damon. He laughed to himself at his success of getting to her. Stefan followed her upstairs, excusing himself to Damon saying he needed to get something from his room, but Damon knew better than to believe that excuse. Damon poured his drink and walked outside where he couldn't hear their conversation, sure he was curious but he wasn't interested in hearing them talk about getting back together, like he expected they were._

_Stefan knocked at Elena's door and she sat up from Zach's bed as Stefan walked in. _

"_Hey," Stefan started._

"_Hey.." _

"_How you feeling?"_

"_I'm a little nervous, but I'll be fine."_

"_Don't worry, nothing will happen." Stefan reassured. _

"_Stefan, this morning when we kissed-" She began,_

"_I know, I know what you're going to say. It was a mistake, we broke up for a reason and we're getting used to being friends with each other after being more for so long."_

"_Yeah that's exactly right. But I'm still sorry, I shouldn't of done that but I just got caught up in the moment."_

"_I know you love him." Stefan said and Elena paused._

"_His outside, I heard him leave, he can't hear us." Stefan reassured her. _

"_Stefan, I don't know how I do, but you might be right." It stung Stefan a little hearing her semi-agree to him, in the perfect world she would say 'no it's you I love' and be done with it. However Stefan knew this wasn't the perfect world. _

"_Does he know?" Stefan looked down slightly saddened. _

"_No, it's complicated." She chuckled and Stefan looked up. _

"_It's always so complicated, everything is and has been for a long time. Even though it's all complicated and twisted, thankyou for always being here Stefan, after all we've been through it means a lot." _

"_Of course." He smiled and they both made their way back downstairs and Damon walked back in as he heard them walking heavily down the stairs. _

"_It's time."_


	9. Chapter 9

**Send me review comments if you like the story so far and what you thought of this chapter! Appreciate it! I know I only just posted a chapter earlier tonight but I won't want to be all 'one a week' or whatever so here it is! :D xx**

**Elena got in the car where Damon sat in the drivers seat. "Are you nervous?" "No, well a little, but I know it's going to be okay." Elena was hopping her knee up and down with anxiousness. "I won't let anything happen to you Elena.." Damon reassured. "So after we get close enough we'll ditch the car and I'll drop you in the woods, count to thirty starting when I leave you, at the count of thirty, I'll stab myself with a stick and you cut your leg. Then all you need to do it run to the car. He'll show up." Damon's hand rested on the middle console of the car. Elena casually slipped her hand onto his and slid her fingers into his. "I trust you, Damon." He did a tight smile, tortured by how much he loved hearing that and feeling her hand around his. Elena slowly slid her hand back into her lap and they continued quietly until they reached the spot. Elena and Damon stood on the forests, not far from the road. Damon couldn't hear anything or anyone, but he knew the vampire they were hunting would smell Elena's blood stronger since he had fed on it before. Elena stood next to a tree and Damon stood infront of her, facing each other Damon listened to hear if anyone was around."His not here." Damon explained. "Will it still work?""He'll come running the second he smells you.""Okay.." Elena murmured, Damon put his hands onto her neck and jaw, holding onto her hair. He looked into her eyes and saw the worry she was feeling, Damon wanted to re-assure her and make her feel safe even though the situation wasn't. While he held her hair he caught her eyes in his. "Elena, I can't promise you everythings going to be perfect, the plan might hit some bumps in the road, but it's me, you said you trust me?""I do…""Then that's all you need, just follow the plan. I'm not going to lose you." His thumbs rubbed her jaw line and Elena felt a cool calmness run through her body. "Okay. I'm ready…" He gently took his hands away from her face. "Just count to thirty, then cut and run." "One, two, three…" She continued counting in a whisper turning away as Damon used his vampire speed to get further down the road but still slightly in the forest. "nineteen, twenty, twenty-one…" She snapped off a thick tree branch with a sharp end. "twenty-five, twenty-six…" Damon did the same, getting ready to stab it into himself. "twenty-eight, twenty-nine…" Elena's heart dropped. "Thirty." Damon used the sharp wooden branch and stabbed himself letting out a small groan. Elena brutally ran the stick across her leg and let out a small sob. 'His here' Damon thought to himself, the plan was inaction. He could smell Elena's blood. It ran down her leg and she ran onto the main road limping and reached the car Damon and her had parked. She panted looking around, she turned and saw the vampire with the beard standing in front of her. Damon zoomed up behind him ripping a branch out his stomach. The other vampires black and red vein eyes looked at Damon. "She wears vervain." He told Damon as though it was a vampire, brother code. "Yeah and she's stronger than she looks." Damon stared at Elena maliciously, selling the act. He threw the branch covered in his blood down on the floor. "Where do you get your vervain from?" The other vampire asked circling Elena, looking at her like his fresh dinner, the smell of her blood from her leg keeping his eyes permanently red and black. Some vampires liked to tease their victims, before killing them instead of getting straight into the feast, it was more exciting. Elena's eyes flicked to Damon and back to the unknown vampire as she thought for a response. "A lot of people from founding families do in this town…" Damon said covering for her still trying to act as though he was just looking for a feed like the unknown vampire. "I'm not from here… I'm just passing through…" He said cryptically. The unknown, bearded vampires eyes turned back to normal as Elena stood there huffing acting like the clueless victim she was portraying. The bearded vampire watched as Elena and Damon kept looking back to each other. He felt like something was going on, so he lead Damon on, to test him. "Since it's your town, you get first feed." He offered Damon pretending to act noble. Damon could sense that he was on to them but needed to keep the act up to lure the guy into a false sense of security so Stefan could attack him. "No, please, you dealt with her first didn't you?" Damon hesitated. "I insist. Feed." The bearded vampire said forcefully trying to get a reaction. Elena looked at Damon as Damon faked a cruel, vicious smile. "If you insist." Damon slowly walked over to where Elena stood, he looked down at the blood on her leg and saw her eyes narrow as if she was letting Damon know to do what it takes, without using her words. He walked behind her and let himself be consumed by the smell of her blood and his face changed, his eyes turned into a dark red and black and veins shot down from his eyes and onto his cheeks. He leant back letting his fangs show. He slowly ran his hand along Elena's warm shoulder and under her hair scooping it off her shoulder and dropping it down onto her back. He examined her neck carefully before he opened his mouth and sunk his teeth into her skin. He could taste her blood and Elena let out a groan as he began sucking. The bearded vampire watched in satisfaction seeing Damon feeding on Elena, he walked over to the other side of her neck and sunk his teeth into her. Elena held back her pain. Knowing the bearded vampire was so occupied drinking her blood her hand held onto Damon's as he continued to feed. He held it tight, comforting her. He couldn't stop feeding, even though the other vampire was consumed in the hunt, he was too close for Damon to do anything, he would still notice. However if Stefan appeared out of no where the other vampire would be too caught up to notice. Elena was aching and felt drained, a feeling she knew. She held tight on Damon's hand and he responded by using his thumb moving it up and down on the side of her hand to comfort her. After what felt like an eternity Stefan grabbed the head of the vampire and snapped his neck mid-feed. He fell to the floor, hard and Elena's blood still sat on his face. Damon pulled his teeth out immediately turning back into his normal face, Elena's blood ran down his chin and all over her neck on both sides and leg. Damon instantly bit on his own wrist and held Elena close to his body supporting her in her dazed state while she drank from him. With one hand she pressed his arm against her mouth and with the other she held onto his neck. "Get her home, I'll take him and see you both back there." Stefan said amongst all the havoc. Elena felt stronger and pulled Damon's arm away. She put her other arm around his neck embracing him, happy it was over. "I'm sorry, I had to feed, he was catching on." Damon spoke in her ear peacefully. "I know, it's okay. I'm fine." Elena knew he cared more about weather she was okay than she cared about herself. **


	10. Chapter 10

Hey again everyone, I have been reading your reviews! All really kind, thankyou so much. Also, I got one review saying it was hard to read and yeah sorry about that, I do make extra spaces, but sometimes when I post the stories I don't know what happens but sometimes they go a little weird. Like if I put one bit bold the hole story posts in bold, and my spaces between lines and paragraphs don't always work. Stuff like that, but sorry! Enjoy.

Elena and Damon sped back to the mansion where Stefan had tied up the unknown vampire in the cellar downstairs. He was still knocked out from the broken neck Stefan had given him. Damon pulled the car up front, not far from the front door. Elena walked around the car and met Damon as he let her in.

"Feeling okay?"

"I'm fine, where's Stefan?" Elena walked into the house still on a mission. The plan was over but they still needed to find out who this guy was and what he was doing with all the stolen blood.

"I put him in the cellar." Stefan appeared out of no where upon hearing Elena call out.

"Has he woken up yet?"

"Not yet, but when he does he won't be able to get out, I injected vervain into him. He'll be weak."

Elena walked over to where the stairs to the downstairs chambers where.

"Elena, his not going to be awake for a while." Stefan called after her. She paused at the door that led to the staircase. She was tired and figured she may as well try and get to sleep.

"You can sleep in Zach's room again and we will tell you when his awake?" Stefan offered.

"Alright, thankyou" She smiles sweetly, how tired her body was, was obvious across her face. Damon stood behind Stefan, a clear distance acting as a divide. Damon was under the influence that Elena and Stefan were once again 'Elena and Stefan' and it sucked for him, so he kept his distance assuming they would say goodnight in a way only love sick puppies did. But instead Elena smiled and said goodnight to both and made her way upstairs without any longing kiss or hug to Stefan. After they both knew Elena was in bed, Stefan walked down to keep an eye on their new friend who was securely tied up. Damon poured himself a drink and sat on the couch watching the sparks of the fire in front of him. He heard shuffling coming from upstairs, restless movements and petite foot patters from Zach's bed to the mountains of books on top of the surrounding tables. Damon knew Elena was struggling to get to sleep, because something in her head was keeping her awake despite how worn out and sleep deprived her body was.

"Knock, knock" Damon said gently swinging Zach's bedroom door open showing Elena sitting on the wooden bench against the window. She looked over her shoulder and saw Damon standing in the doorway holding a glass half full of alcohol.

"Hey" Her tone was sweet and welcoming. She swung her legs from sitting in front of her to the side making space for Damon on the wooden bench.

"I got you something, to help you sleep." He waved the glass in front of himself as he approached Elena.

"Thanks, but no thanks." Elena rejected kindly.

"Oh?"

"You were right, I can't drink away what keeps me up at night."

"Instead you're going to?" Damon asked curiously.

"Just try other ways…" Elena said peacefully getting lost in staring out the window. The sat in a warm silence, comfortable around each other.

"How did you know?…" Elena paused then saw the slight confusion on Damon's face.

"How did you know that I was having trouble sleeping, how did you know I was using alcohol?" She finished. Damon put the drink down to the side of him.

"I know you Elena, I know when something is bothering you." He smiled a little amused by Elena's question. To her it was a legitimate question, but to him he figured, of course he knew. How could he not see when the girl he loved was in such emotional pain? She smiled. Damon felt so connected to Elena in that moment, they had both forgotten that Stefan was downstairs watching over a vampire that had just sucked Elena's blood. They both forgot about any problems and only knew that they were in each others presences, so nothing else mattered. Damon was fine letting himself enjoy being in that moment, until he remembered about Elena and Stefan. He got up off the chair breaking the connection they both felt. Elena noticed the change in mood in the room and the look on Damon's face of guilt and jealousy.

"What's wrong?" She stood up behind Damon who face away from her. He looked back to answer her.

"You and Stefan.." He assumed Stefan wasn't focusing on there conversation, so he wouldn't be hearing it.

"What do you mean?" Elena felt sincerely confused because she didn't know Damon knew about the kiss.

"Elena.." Damon turned away, he didn't want to have to say it point blank.

"Why don't you tell me what's going on?" He turned back looking at her with wide puppy dog eyes that he couldn't turn on or off, but came naturally to him. Elena felt like she was being drawn to him with that innocent look on his face. She slowly took steps forward to him.

"Nothing's going on between me and Stefan, I made a mistake and we kissed. But nothings going on between us, because we're just friends." Elena wanted to admitte to Damon that the reason she broke up with Stefan in the first place was because she had feelings for Damon. But with Stefan right downstairs it wasn't exactly the time to admitte that.

"Does he know that?" Damon took a step closer to Elena.

"Yes." She stared up at him.

"Why did you avoid me, avoid everyone?" He was referring to her hid away week and a bit.

"I-I, I just couldn't move, I couldn't get myself out of my room." Elena's eyes shuffled, she felt ashamed looking weak.

"I know you came here, I could smell you." Elena felt nervous, she did her best to avoid getting into the details of what she felt and why she acted how she did.

"You weren't here.." She tried to justify.

"You went back into hiding for two more days? Elena. Why?" he shuffled closer to her. She wanted to drop the subject.

"It's complicated, but I wanted to see you, that's why I came. I just needed a time out from everything." Elena gently explained. Damon wanted to know more, he wanted to try and understand what this anguish Elena tried to hid from him was really about. Mostly, he just wanted her to admitte to whatever was hurting her, not for his knowledge but for her own sanity. One more step closer and he leant in.

"When you're ready to talk Elena, I'm here for you. Whenever you need me. I'll be there, for _you." Elena's breaths got shallow, Damon's lips hovered around hers. With Stefan downstairs this was the worst timing in so many ways, but everything felt so beautiful to Elena in that moment, she couldn't help herself. Butterflies filled her stomach and her heart felt like it was pausing anticipating the sweet touch of Damon's lips. Damon wanted to kiss her so bad, every bone in his body was screaming at him to take the opportunity. He wasn't planning on any of this, he wasn't planning on ever falling for another one of Stefan's girlfriends. He really, never imagined he would fall in love with two different girls that look exactly alike, but are completely different in every way in his lifetime. His gentle movements forward stopped. He pulled back making it obvious to Elena it wasn't going to happen. He knew she'd feel guilty if they went throw with it while Stefan was in the house, he didn't want it to be about that, about guilt. He moved his head to the side and kissed her gently and softly on the cheek. Elena's heart sank, in a good way. Sure she was disappointed, but Damon knew they shouldn't, he was stronger than her and resisted the compelling urge to kiss. _

"_It's not the right time." He said as he pulled away. _

"_I know.." Elena said smiling with her eyes ignoring the disappointment the butterflies in her stomach felt._

"_Goodnight Ms. Gilbert." Damon said in a fancy tone. _

"_Ha-ha, goodnight Mr. Salvatore." She chuckled as she spoke gently. Damon walked out the room and stood in the hallway, he knew he did the right thing. But the anticipation of her kiss would tease him until there lips did finally meet, knowing that she wanted to kiss him back, knowing that Elena wasn't with Stefan. Everything felt good to Damon, for the first time in a long time. _


	11. Chapter 11

Hey, this is going to roughly sum up my story and next chapter I will conclude the story line for Damon and Elena. I had fun writing this, but I have school started again and stuff and anyways, I'm not going to keep dragging on the story, even though I had a few more ideas they all sort of need to be set up and I don't know how I would do that. Anyways, every single review and follow has been amazing and I love everyone who was kind enough to read my story and everything else! Thankyou all!

"Elena… wake up, he's awake downstairs." Damon gently woke Elena up. Elena caught in her have asleep state didn't hear exactly what Damon said, but seeing him wake her up was already a good start to the day.

"What time is it?" Elena rolled over rubbing her eyes.

"Five." Damon answered grabbing Elena her jacket from the back of the chair near the bed.

"In the morning?!" Elena had lost days after finally getting some sleep.

"You've slept all day yesterday and last night, it's five in the afternoon." Elena had slept an entire day away and most of the second one away too.

"Did he just get up?" Elena asked wrapping herself in her jacket.

"Yeah, I can't hear Stefan talking to him now…"

"Let's go." Elena gently touched Damon's arm and then walked in front of him with a smile on her face knowing she was finally clear about her feelings. It was the first time in a while that her head was cluttered and she finally felt happy and certain. They had caught the bad guy, she had sorted things out with Stefan, Damon knew about her feelings and Jeremy was safe and having fun visiting his friend and would be home soon. Things were good.

"What's your name?" Stefan said to the weak vampire tied up in a chair in roped dipped in vervain.

"Lea." He moaned.

"Who are you? Where are you from?"

"I'm not from here, that's for sure." Lea said purposely trying to make the questioning difficult.

"How old are you?" Stefan zoomed up to him being dominant.

"I'm 30 years old. I was turned when I was 19."

"Well you're new, but not that new. Why are you feeding so recklessly?" Damon stepped in and Elena stood in the doorway watching. Lea looked up and took an obvious deep breath in taking in the sweet scent of Elena's human blood pumping through her veins. His eyes narrowed and veins ran down his cheeks as he snarled at her. He was thirsty, it had been two days since he had fed. He pulled himself forward with great power, the chair flung forward as he attempted to reach Elena. The vervain stung his arms and his body was too weak to do anything, but the smell of her blood tortured him. Damon used him speed and grabbed Elena pulling her into the hallway out front of the cellar door. Stefan dragged his chair back in place.

"STOP." Stefan demanded.

"I'm going to kill him." Damon stormed up to Lea.

"Damon, wait!" Elena said tugging him back.

"We need to find out what he wants, it's fine, I'm fine." Damon snarled at the vampire and then took a step back in defeat listening to Elena.

"Answer the question Lea. Why. Why are you in Mystic Falls and why are you trying to get caught?"

"I'm not trying to get caught, if you must know I am missing a certain human aspect of myself, and I got bored in my town so I thought I'd mix things up in this cute little crap hole." He said staring at Elena only worrying about what she would taste like.

"He has no humanity." Stefan said simply rephrasing Lea.

"Do you know Katherine Pierce?" Damon asked.

"No, but I've heard of her."

"Do you know what she looks like?" Stefan added.

"No. I don't know her, I don't know what she looks like, and I don't care."

"Why did you attack me then?" Elena took a few steps forward, tempting Lea.

"You smell so good." He shifted in his seat, the vervain burning him every time he moved.

"But why did you attack me?" Elena sounded innocent and curious, Damon watched her as she walked around the cell teasing the vampire with her scent. A smile fell gently across his face while he also kept cautious incase Lea were to try and attack again. He was strong, the vervain was excruciating but he was desperately hungry and his body could ignore the pain for a second, so tempted by Elena.

"I saw you jogging. It was late. You were alone. You look weak, vampires can sense an easy target, when we hunt we have a skill of knowing who's fragile." He mocked Elena. Being called fragile and weak mad Elena's calm state turn defensive and mad.

"Well, clearly you're not as good as you think at hunting."

"Sure, you got me off guard with the vervain… but I was right, you are weak." Elena got angrier, she took a step closer.

"I'm not weak. You're weak, look at yourself, tied up, starving. You can't control how much you want my blood." She mocked and teased him. A calm face came over Lea as he forced himself to ignore her blood scent trying to prove Elena wrong.

"You're right. You're not fragile, not anymore, fragile is a beautiful vase that no one wants to touch. But you. You're the broken remains of what was once beautiful. That's what I could sense. There's nothing special about you that made me feed on you. You were just a target, honestly, I figured by ending your life I was doing you a favour." Lea said as he watched Elena's face sink in.

He had gotten to her, mostly because he put in words how she had been feeling and then used it against her. 'Broken', she knew he was right. The worst thing was, she just started to feel like she was healing, today she felt like her broken pieces had been glued back together. She paused in front of him, the silence was tense and Stefan and Damon stood silently spread apart watching unsure of what they could say or do to lessen the awkward tension. Elena pulled herself together, deciding this wasn't going to break her again. Of course hearing that a blood sucking vampire with no humanity could sense she was broken, sure that was a lot to take in and hard to hear. But she wasn't going to let him tear her back down. She smiles and turned away walking past Damon.

"Anymore questions?" She asked and Damon gently shook his head. Elena turned back to Lea. "Well then, I guess we could do him a favour, and end his meaningless life. Without his humanity, this guy's a monster." Lea felt what resembled fear, death did that. It provoked emotions, even in the emotionless. Damon smiled and Elena walked off knowing it would be the last he would ever see or hear of Lea.


	12. Chapter 12

This is the big finale! Once again my internet broke, I think I mentioned this earlier! So, sorry for anyone who was waiting for this final chapter! I hope everyone enjoyed this story, I had fun writing it! Thankyou!

"Lea's gone.." Damon said as a way to announce he was standing in the doorway where Elena faced away from. "Stefan's left, his dealing with the body and going into town." Elena turned around, dry tears on her cheeks.

"Okay." Elena said bluntly staring at Damon's direction blankly before dully turning back to face the window hoping she had hidden her sad face in the shadows of Zach's room. Damon was hoping to see her relieved, happy, the plan had work. Lea didn't know Katherine, there was no vampire army coming to attack Mystic Falls, he was just a lost vampire with no humanity who happened to attack Elena. But instead of being happy, Elena had shut down again. Damon wasn't about to let her sink into this quick sand of depression Elena had been fighting with lately. Some days she was firmly on safe ground and the next she could be drowning in emotions. He gently walked up behind her.

"Are you ready?" Damon asked, meaning if she was ready to talk yet. He gently persuaded her body to face him by gently turning her shoulders. Elena spun around and faced Damon's soft blue eyes.

"I have felt so lost. It's been a year, more than a year, but no matter what I do I am still just that lost girl who's parents died. It haunts me, every single day, they died because of me. They died because I went to that party. My brother is alone now and he only has me and look at me, I am weak, I know I am. I spend my days with vampires, I'm either faced with the living who I can't handle because I'm so caught up on the dead and somewhere along there I am faced with the living dead." Elena began calm and then got frustrated hearing her own words, tears streamed down her face and her body began to shrink as she hunched over and wrapped her arms around her own stomach, trying to give herself comfort. Damon stared at her with doey eyes, he just wanted her to let it out, he could feel the pain she felt, he could see how much it tortured her hearing her own words. "That guy, Lea, his right. He knows just from seeing me, he knows I'm broken. I'm damaged goods, I'm ruined." her eyes linked with Damon's. "I feel so alone in this world."

"I can't bring your parents back… And for that, I'm just so sorry, Elena. I would do anything for you. Even if it meant I would never see you again, I love you so much, even though it would kill me I would rather die than see you hurt like this." Damon choked on his own words, speaking them while he still decided wether he wanted to say them or not. Elena's eyes dried and she stared at Damon wondering where he was going with this. "I can help you though, say the word Elena. I can make you forget.. I can make you and Jeremy move past this guilt and grief. I can help you forget. Forget you ever met me and Stefan, or that you ever lived in Mystic Falls. Tell me the life you wish you lived and I will put you there."

Elena's eyes fell to the floor, she walked away from Damon and he followed her with his eyes. She took deep breaths and contemplated his offer. It wasn't just about her, Damon wanted to help Jeremy. He wanted to get rid of all of their hurt and problems. Every bad feeling that stalked Elena was on her shoulder. It could all be gone? She looked up at Damon and tried to think, she pushed past everything and found the feelings she took for granted. Just looking at Damon, she felt a powerful love, she thought of everything insane and amazing she had been threw because she had all these awful experiences. Even if he did compel her to not feel sad about it, it doesn't change the fact her parents were gone. She didn't want to leave him, she didn't want to forget the safety and passion she felt just by looking at him. Her life wasn't perfect, but she didn't want to run away from everything that was to come. "I-I, I don't want to forget this life, these memories might be tragic, but nothing can bring my parents back, and every step I've taken since then has brought me here. In this room, with you." Elena's body relaxed. "I love you Damon." saying those words and watching the shared pain lift off of Damon's face as he processed what Elena said, it all took Elena's breath away. It felt like she had finally breathed in fresh thin air, and any breath before then was polluted. Damon stormed up to Elena and grabbed her on top of her hair. He lips grabbed her and she swung her arms around him. He took his hands from on top of her hair and slid them under, his fingers intertwined with Elena's thick brown main. He held onto her face and she ran her hand down the top of his shirt as far as she can reach, trailing her fingers down his neck. They were both so caught up in the kiss, all they could hear were each others hearts and deep breaths as their heads turned into each others passionately. Damon's lips trailed onto Elena's neck and back up onto her lips. He pulled her close, every part of them held onto each other. Damon led Elena over to the bed, gently, but passionately landing her onto the large mattress. She wrapped her leg around him as he pulled her body effortlessly into place and pinned her onto the bed under his. Elena pulled at his shirt and Damon sat up only long enough to rip it off and resume kissing Elena. He slid his hands up under her shirt from her waist. He bent down kissing her stomach while she unbuttoned her shirt and Damon slid back up to Elena's face as she pulled her shirt off. They both paused in that moment. Capturing it before it was gone. The moment between the start of something and the rest of forever. Staring into each others eyes and Damon hovering over Elena, gently stroking her hair. They both smiled at each other, without moving a muscle on their faces. This was it. Happiness, a feeling Elena had missed and Damon had forgotten.

"I love you.."


End file.
